The present invention relates to a device for reproducing optical discs such as CD (compact disc), and more particularly to an optical disc reproducing device corresponding to CDs having different diameter.
In general, CD as an optical information recorded medium has a diameter of 12 cm and a thickness of 1.2 mm. A method in which an information of CD is reproduced from an inner side to an outer side has been adopted.
There is provided two kinds of the CDs which are different in diameter. One of the CDs has a diameter of 12 cm (hereinafter 12CD), and the other CD has a diameter of 8cm (hereinafter 8CD). Therefore, a CD reproducing device for reproducing both kinds of discs has been recently provided.
One example of such a CD reproducing device (hereinafter CD device) corresponding to discs having different diameters is as follows. First, a user inserts a 8 CD or a 12Cd from an opening for inserting mounted on a device body into the device. The CD is automatically transferred to the inside of the device by a CD carrying mechanism. Next, it is detected whether each CD having a different diameter is securely located in a predetermined storing position by a 12CD detector or an 8CD detector which is activated when a periphery of the carried discs abut on them.
Furthermore, the CD is transferred to a turn table after it is detected that it is securely located in the predetermined storing position by either the 12CD detector or the 8CD detector. Then, after transferred to the turn table, the CD is clamped from an upper side thereof by a clamper mechanism, and rotated by a mechanism for rotating the turn table. An information recorded on the CD can be reproduced by an optical pickup mechanism for reproducing information as recorded.
By the way, the 12CD detector and 8CD detector are independently provided on the reproducing device. They are operated through abutting on an outer periphery end of the CD as carried so that a mechanical on-off operation of the CD carrying mechanism and the clamping mechanism or the like can be carried out.
Consequently, the reproducing device for discs having different diameters is complicated in construction since each different type of detector is needed. Further, the manufacturing cost increases because of the increase of the number of parts and manufacturing steps.
On the other hand, there are areas in which the 8 cm CD is not used. In order to supply the reproducing device to such a particular area, a conventional reproducing device for the 12CD only must be manufactured. It is, however, uneconomical on a manufacturing efficiency to manufacture both the 12/8CD common device and the 12CD exclusive device.
Further, it may be considered that we stop the supply of the conventional 12CD device to such an area, and provide the 12/8CD common device on the other hand. However, if do so, parts of 8CD detector are extremely wasteful so that a manufacturing cost may increase unnecessarily.
In addition, it is difficult to manufacture the 12CD device on the manufacturing line for the 12/8CD common device without assembling the parts for the 8CD device since the manufacturing step becomes complicated.
An object of the present invention is to provide different-diameter-discs reproducing device which may be simplified in construction, and easily changed to a 12 cm disc reproducing device.
According to the present invention, a device for reproducing optical discs which are different in diameter, comprises a main chassis mounting a system for reproducing a large diameter disc and a small diameter disc, in which the system having a pickup, a turntable and a clamper for clamping a disc on the turntable, disc carrying rollers for carrying an inserted disc to the system, a large diameter disc detector arm which is pivoted by a large diameter disc carried by the disc carrying rollers so that the clamper is operated by the large diameter disc detector arm, an adapter detachably mounted on the main chassis, centering means mounted on the adapter for centering a small diameter disc carried by the disc carrying rollers, actuating means mounted on the adapter for operating the large diameter disc detector arm for clamping the carried small diameter disc.
The centering means comprises a pair of centering arms pivotally mounted on the adapter, and the actuator means comprises a small diameter disc detector arm operated by one of the centering arms.
Each of the centering arms has a centering pin engaged with the carried disc so that the centering arm is pivoted.
The small diameter disc detector arm is operatively connected to the large diameter disc detector arm.